Doctor Who Discussion [Spoiler Zone!]

[Jester]

Pretty good? Sure. Brilliant? No.

[Moirae]

My husband and I have taken to just recording the show and watching it later. I used to drop whatever I was doing to watch it as it was broadcast. This season is all right, but it is definitely NOT fantastic, alonsy, spoilers, the girl who waited, etc.

I'm rather disappointed with this doctor and with the intense focus on Clara's life. I really honestly don't like Clara at all and they seem to be obsessed with her. And their relationship to each other... I've never seen a companion that LESS likes the doctor and doesn't seem to understand him in the least. She's also rather slow to catch on. And this doctor... he's like a petulant child. While that could be charming if it were done right, it just isn't. Mostly because of the interplay between the companion and the doctor.

I just watched an episode related to abortion. I mean... this could have been a great episode. If Clara had for one second used her brain and understood that the Doctor COULDN'T tell her what choice to make because it wasn't his planet, it was up to humanity to decide. Amy, Rose, etc, all picked up on stuff fairly easily but Clara is like pulling teeth.

And I don't care what's going on in her personal life. I don't care about her romances, or the fact that she's a school teacher (who spends alot of time whining about going out with the doctor, then does it anyway. She obviously doesn't want to be there, so why is she?), or anything else for that matter.

I want to go on adventures with the doctor, not hear more whining from Clara.

It's time to move on to a new companion. Maybe one that's a little brighter.

[XCashier]

I really honestly don't like Clara at all and they seem to be obsessed with her. And their relationship to each other... I've never seen a companion that LESS likes the doctor and doesn't seem to understand him in the least. She's also rather slow to catch on. And this doctor... he's like a petulant child. While that could be charming if it were done right, it just isn't. Mostly because of the interplay between the companion and the doctor.

It reminds me a bit of the Sixth Doctor and Peri in the Original Series. He was an obnoxious and pushy know-it-all, she was a whiny, petulant brat. The next season, when they both mellowed out, it was much better, but really, they should've called a truce and started being nicer towards each other by the third episode.

Like Colin Baker before him, Peter Capaldi could be a fine Doctor if he had a better producer at the helm. Like John Nathan-Turner, Steven Moffat has worn out his welcome.

Moffat is not only going over his own old ideas, he's going over previous producers' old ideas. Sorry, but I think it's time for him to go. Doctor Who really needs a new producer with new ideas and better writers.

[KatherineB]

I'm just sick of super-special companions and the fact that the Doctor doesn't seem to care about humanity unless they're special or a mystery in some way. What happened to normal people showing how fantastic they could be given the right circumstances? It seems to me that, if the Doctor were facing a situation like Jack did with the 456, only the 'victim' is his super-special companion, he would pick the companion and all of humanity would be sacrificed. We're only important if we are special in an extraordinary and beyond-human way. Not the message I would have thought people would want children to have, and not one I'm enjoying.

And I'm also tired of Clara treating the Doctor like a holiday camp, but then telling him off when he spends time on his own. Um, what is he meant to do when you decide your home life is more important than the opportunities he is offering you? I wish he would turn up with another companion and tell Clara "Thanks but no thanks" just like she does to him. Sadly it won't happen like that because Clara is clearly just as much Moffatt's Mary Sue as Amy was.

[mjr]

I wish he would turn up with another companion and tell Clara "Thanks but no thanks" just like she does to him. Sadly it won't happen like that because Clara is clearly just as much Moffatt's Mary Sue as Amy was.

From what I understand, Clara is only supposed to be around until about Christmas. Then I believe The Doctor is supposed to get a new companion.

[Jester]

The main difference, Katherine, being that Amy was a kickass badass. And Clara...isn't.

[XCashier]

Sadly it won't happen like that because Clara is clearly just as much Moffatt's Mary Sue as Amy was.

River Song was the worst Mary Sue of them all.

[firecat88]

My thoughts on Clara, especially recently: Oswin was better. >.>

Honestly, though, much like Once Upon A Time right now, my problem lies more with the way things are being written than with the characters themselves. Every episode so far feels like it's started in the middle of the story instead of the beginning. Of course, doing it that way isn't always a bad thing. I've seen it work quite well. However, that they're doing it literally every episode is weird to me and I feel like, because they've spent so little time doing a slow build-up to the action, it's the cause for so much of the exposition-heavy dialogue.

[Kheldarson]

River Song was the worst Mary Sue of them all.

She was fine until her wedding....

Huh.

[Jester]

River Song was the worst Mary Sue of them all.

Two questions:

1. What's a Mary Sue? I'm lost here.

2. What do you have against River Song? Just wondering....not trying to get ER contentious or anything.

My thoughts on Clara, especially recently: Oswin was better.

Agreed!

[Kheldarson]

1. What's a Mary Sue? I'm lost here.

A Mary Sue, and her corollary Gary Stu, is a character who's impossibly perfect. She's more powerful than most, if not all, of the mains, everyone loves her, and the story focuses solely on her typically. She's also usually an author insert.

You usually see her in fanfic, but there are cases in original works. Like Bella Swan from Twilight.

[KatherineB]

River Song was the worst Mary Sue of them all.

Agreed! I really can't stand any of Moff's female characters, and that includes Amy. Sally Sparrow was the only one I find tolerable, with Nancy second.

[Kheldarson]

Tonight's episode... I just....just.....

*twitch*

CLARA WHAT THE HELL?!

[KatherineB]

After seeing this last episode, the biggest problem for me this season has been the 'villains' - not one of them has been truly villainous. I think this is reflected in the fact that, for the first time since the reboot, we haven't had a single two-parter, and I'm sure it's because none of the villains could drag the drama over two episodes. The one exception might have been the Skovox Blitzer in Caretaker, but we were too busy watching the Doctor and Danny snipe at each other to see it. Presumably this is leading to some huge denouement with Missy and Heaven, but for now I'd like a villain who didn't repent of their actions in the end and turn out to be a damp squib. That way we might get a genuinely scary episode, rather than sitting there wondering "So what's going to be this guy's excuse for his actions?"Booooring!

[Gizmo]

I second the Clara what the hell..... Anything for an adventure - or a paycheck....

I did notice a large amount of throwback lines in this episode which could have helped a LOT to get people on board with the season.... and yet they were totally lackluster and meh.

Frank Skinner was probably the best bit out of the whole episode.... wish he HAD taken the doctors request to join him on board!